Home Office

Economic Policy

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any of the economists who wrote a letter to The Times, published on 18 August, are employed in any capacity to advise Government departments or are serving on any executive or non-executive bodies.

Lord Bates: None of the economists in question are employed in any capacity to advise the Home Office.

Islam: Legal Systems

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the undertaking by the Home Secretary, made in a speech on 23 March, to set up an independent investigation into the application of Shari’a law in Britain will be fulfilled; and when that investigation is expected to report.

Lord Bates: Sharia councils may be working in a discriminatory and unacceptable way. That is why, as part of the forthcoming Counter-Extremism Strategy, Government will commission a full, independent investigation to assess to what extent Sharia is being applied in a manner that is unacceptable. The review will commence following the appointment of an independent chair. The Terms of Reference for the review and its duration will be determined at that point. We will act on any evidence of it’s application which is outside of the law.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Origin Marking: Israel

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made in securing a European Union decision on the labelling of products from Israeli settlements.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The issue of correct labelling of settlement produce is a subject of ongoing work with our EU partners. We believe that EU-wide guidelines on the labelling of settlement produce would be an important step to ensure correct and coherent implementation of EU consumer protection and labelling legislation, which is in fulfilment of our previous commitments and is fully consistent with long-standing EU policy in relation to illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In April 2015, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), signed a joint letter, with 15 other foreign ministers, to EU High Representative Federica Mogherini calling on the EU to follow through on longstanding policy to ensure the clear labelling of goods produced in Israeli settlements. At the May/June/July Foreign Affairs Councils the Foreign Secretary also pressed the High Representative to implement EU wide labelling guidelines.

Gaza: Neonatal Mortality

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Palestinian Authority and the government of Israel regarding the increase in neonatal mortality in the Gaza Strip.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: While we have not raised the issue of neonatal mortality in the Gaza Strip with either the Palestinian Authority or the Israeli authorities, as part of our long-term assistance for Gaza, the UK supports partners like the World Food Programme, the UN Works and Relief Agency and the International Committee of the Red Cross, who help deal with food shortages, provide basic services and repair water infrastructure in Gaza. On 10 September the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), emphasised to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu the importance of improving daily life for the people of Gaza.

Gaza: Israel

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the block on exports from Gaza.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: On 10 September the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), emphasised to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu the importance of improving daily life for the people of Gaza, for example through better power and water supplies and facilitating travel in and out of Gaza. During his visit to the region in July, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), urged the Israeli government to ease restrictions on Gaza and for the parties to prioritise progress towards a durable solution, including taking the necessary steps to advance construction and economic development. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv has also frequently urged Israel to go further in easing movement and access restrictions on Gaza.

Israel: Church Schools

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Israel following the strike at Christian schools in Israel in protest against funding cuts.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: British Embassy officials discussed this issue with Israel's Ministry of Education during the summer.

West Bank: Arson

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the lack of progress in arresting the people responsible for the Duma village arson attack in July 2015.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the issue of the investigation with the Israeli Defence Minister on 10 September. We have called on the Israeli authorities to ensure that those responsible for this crime are brought swiftly to justice.

West Bank: Arson

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contact, if any, Ministers and diplomats have had with the Dawabsha family following the death of three members of that family in an arson attack in Duma village in July.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Our Consul-General in Jerusalem visited the village of Duma on 4 August to express our condolences to the relatives of the Dawabsha family and the local community. On 31 July, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), issued a press statement strongly condemning the attack. We have called on the Israeli authorities to ensure that those responsible for this crime are brought swiftly to justice.

Israel: Church Schools

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current differences in the levels of funding between Christian schools and other schools in Israel.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We assess that government funding per student for Christian schools has fallen by approximately 50% during the last five years. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised this issue with the Israeli Ministry of Education in the summer.

Israel: Churches

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current assessment of the number of "price tag" attacks on church property in Israel.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We condemn all extremist violence, including those attacks against religious buildings. Whilst most ‘price tag’ attacks have taken place in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, we are aware that on 18 June the Benedictine Church of the Multiplication at Tabgha, on the Sea of Galilee, was set on fire and vandalised with graffiti. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised this at the time with the Israeli Foreign Ministry and National Security Council. Although it did not occur in Israel, it is worth noting the arson attack that took place in February on a Greek Orthodox seminary in East Jerusalem, again with inflammatory graffiti. We are also aware that Muslim and Jewish holy places are desecrated and we unequivocally condemn all such incidents. On 10 September the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), raised their concerns for peace in the region with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Iran: Overseas Trade

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the reopening of the British Embassy in Iran, what plans they have to develop trading opportunities in Iran; and whether those plans take account of decisions by other countries to develop trading opportunities there.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Trade sanctions on Iran will not be lifted immediately. Sanction relief will only happen once the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has verified that Iran has taken agreed nuclear measures. While sanctions remain in place, they will continue to be enforced.Recent trade visits to Iran highlight the wide interest in new trade opportunities, but even as phased sanctions relief begins Iran will remain a challenging place to do business. If Iran completes its commitments and sanctions are rolled back, the British Government will help the business and financial sector take advantage of the opportunities that arise, and promote trade and investment between our two countries. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), took a trade delegation with him to Iran when he reopened our Embassy on 23 August, and further trade delegations are being planned. Over time, our reopened Embassy in Tehran will be a key part of the Government’s role in supporting British business, including through a full time UK Trade and Investment presence. However the decisions of British businesses on whether or not to trade with Iran are independent of Government.

Syria: Armed Conflict

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure the protection of civilians from war crimes committed in the conflict in Syria.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have a long-standing commitment to accountability for human rights violations and abuses. We will continue to press for the protection of civilians in the UN Security Council where we have secured vital resolutions to improve humanitarian access and seek accountability for chemical weapons attacks. These resolutions have also consistently called for an end to attacks on civilians. We continue to support the UN Commission of Inquiry’s investigations into human rights violations and abuses in Syria. In partnership with other donor countries, we are funding the collection of documentary evidence for use in possible legal processes in the future. Last year the UK co-sponsored a UN Security Council resolution to refer all those responsible for war-crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria, regardless of affiliation, to the International Criminal Court. Russia and China chose to veto this resolution.

*No heading*

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the outcomes of the talks between Tony Blair and Hamas since his active negotiations with Khaled Meshaal in June.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have not made an assessment of the outcomes of any talks between Tony Blair and Hamas. The immediate priority remains for all parties to prioritise making progress on reaching a durable agreement that addresses the underlying causes of the conflict.

*No heading*

Lord Hussain: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Myanmar about revising its citizenship laws, which place restrictions on non-indigenous residents who have lived in Myanmar for a long period of time from becoming full citizens.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have a number of concerns about Burma’s 1982 Citizenship Law, and particularly how it deals with the Rohingya community. The British Government has consistently called for a sustainable solution to the issue of Rohingya citizenship which meets international standards. Most recently, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right. hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), raised this at senior level with the Burmese authorities, both with the central government and in Rakhine State, during his visit to Burma in July.

*No heading*

Lord Hussain: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Myanmar about abolishing ethnic and religious classifications for identification cards.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have a number of concerns about how identity cards and citizenship are obtained in Burma and the role of religion and ethnicity. Of particular concern are how these apply to the Muslim Rohingya community in Rakhine State, the requirement for Rohingya to identify as ‘Bengali’ to apply for citizenship, and the cancellation, on 31 March 2015, of all ‘White Card’ identity documents – the only form of identification held by many Rohingya. We have repeatedly made our views known to the Burmese authorities on both questions. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), pressed the Burmese authorities on the issue of identity cards and a pathway to citizenship for the Rohingya during his visit to Burma in July.

*No heading*

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are supporting the government of Iraq to build an inclusive state that provides for the wellbeing of all its citizens.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are supporting Prime Minister Abadi in his efforts to rebuild public trust in the Iraqi state, deliver the services and opportunities which all Iraqis want and deserve, and unite Iraq’s communities against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and extremism. We welcome the commitments that he has made to inclusivity, to protecting Iraqi citizens, and addressing human rights abuses and holding those responsible to account. We have contributed £2million to the UN’s Funding Facility for Immediate Stabilisation, to help the Iraqi government stabilise areas recently liberated from ISIL and re-establish security, basic services and inclusive local governance. In 2015/16 we will provide funding for a number of projects designed to support community cohesion and encourage reconciliation, acceptance and tolerance between communities at a grass roots level. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has deployed or reassigned 20 officers to strengthen our efforts in helping the Government of Iraq defeat ISIL. 11 of these officers are in Iraq, to better understand and support the political process, including efforts to reach out to members of the Sunni community.

*No heading*

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 15 September (HL Deb, col 1741), what assistance they have given to the Karen and other ethnic minorities in Burma in overcoming obstacles to a comprehensive national ceasefire, particularly in regard to (1) the placing of weapons beyond use, (2) the restitution of land, and (3) the extension of the franchise to Burmese refugees living in refugee camps on the border between Burma and Thailand.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We welcome the continuing talks between the Burmese government and ethnic armed groups to agree a National Ceasefire Agreement. Throughout the negotiations the UK has funded specialists to provide expert advice in support of the peacemaking dialogue in Burma to both sides of the conflict. This includes support to the National Ceasefire Coordination Team, the ethnic groups’ negotiation team of which Karen groups are a part. We are also a member of the Peace Donor Support Group which is directly supporting work to move from ceasefire agreements to political dialogue with all of Burma’s ethnic groups.The signing of a ceasefire would only be the start of a wider peace process. The next stage, as envisaged by the draft National Ceasefire Agreement, is a National Political Dialogue. It is at this stage that issues such as decommissioning of weapons, land restitution and resettlement of internally displaced people will be discussed. To date we have not been asked to assist with any of these issues, and we would only do so with the consent of both sides. However, as I highlighted in the debate to which the noble Lord refers, the UK has earmarked £3million in flexible funding to support such activities in support of the continuing peace process through the multi-donor Peace Support Fund, with the potential to increase this to £5million. We have raised with the Burmese authorities the issue of extending voting to internally displaced people. Most recently our Ambassador lobbied the head of the Union Election Commission on the inclusion of internally displaced people in Burma on the voter lists.

*No heading*

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, following the fifth UN joint statement on human rights in Bahrain, they have discussed with the government of Bahrain the cases of opposition leaders Sheikh Ali Salman, Ibrahim Sharif, Fadhel Abbas, and Majid Milad; and if so, with what results.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have previously raised these four cases with the Government of Bahrain, including at the highest levels. We continue to do so on a regular basis. Following the UN joint statement on 14 September on human rights in Bahrain, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), discussed human rights and political reform with the Bahraini Ambassador.

*No heading*

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning Israel offering refuge to Palestinians fleeing Syria.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have not made any representations to the Government of Israel on this issue.The UK has pledged £1billion to date – our largest ever humanitarian response to a single crisis – to provide humanitarian assistance and long-term support to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people living in Syria and refugees across the region, which includes Palestinian refugees who have also been affected by the crisis.

*No heading*

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of Israel concerning the right of return for Palestinians.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We continue to be clear with both sides that there must be a just, fair and agreed settlement for refugees as part of a negotiated two-state solution. On 10 September during the visit to London of Prime Minister Netanyahu, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), raised the need for the parties to return to negotiations.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Tickets: Sales

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in setting up the review of consumer protection measures for the secondary ticketing market.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 17 September 2015.The correct answer should have been:

 An announcement on who will lead the review, terms of reference and how it will run is expected shortly.

Baroness Neville-Jones: An announcement on who will lead the review, terms of reference and how it will run is expected shortly.

Tickets: Sales

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering increasing the maximum penalty that can be imposed on secondary-market operators for breaching the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: We have no plans to change the enforcement provisions of the secondary ticketing rules in the Consumer Rights Act 2015 which only came into force on 27 May 2015.

Students: Loans

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the proportion of student loans awarded to students undertaking (1) full-time, and (2) part-time, bachelor degrees that will never be repaid.

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: (1) We estimate that the proportion of the value of full time loans which will not be repaid is around 45%.   (2) Our current published estimate is that around 65% of the value of part time loans will not be repaid. We will update our estimate as we get more information on the characteristics of the students taking out these loans, and, in due course, actual repayments.   The Department does not produce separate estimates for different levels of Higher Education qualifications. The figures mentioned above cover all higher education loans.

Overseas Students

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what quality assurance measures are in place for the International Foundation programmes run by United Kingdom universities or by partnerships between such universities and private education providers.

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: Publicly funded higher education providers are currently reviewed by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA). These reviews look at the adequacy of a provider’s system to maintain academic standards and ensure quality across all its provision; irrespective of where it is delivered. The reviews check that expectations set out in the UK Quality Code for Higher Education are being met.   In addition, QAA have been leading sector work on how to strengthen the assurance of UK higher education delivered overseas. They have recently published a report detailing how external quality assurance processes can be adapted to support UK higher education institutions in both maintaining their reputation in delivering high quality education overseas and in growing their provision. The report can be found on the QAA website at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=2978#.VfKp1fnF98E

Department for International Development

*No heading*

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the state of the latest humanitarian truce in Yemen, in the light of the airstrikes by the Arab states coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

Baroness Verma: The UK fully supports the UN Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed’s efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire in Yemen to ensure life-saving assistance can reach all populations in need.   During the humanitarian pause in Yemen from 12 to 17 May 2015, according to the UN, humanitarian partners were able to deliver: a month's worth of food to more than 400,000 people; access to safe water for 1.2 million people; emergency shelter and medical supplies for more than 400,000 patients; and nutritional supplies to treat almost 35,000 malnourished children.

*No heading*

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are supporting Kurdish authorities in Iraq to manage the civilians who have fled the fighting and are displaced in the region.

Baroness Verma: To date, the UK has provided £59.5m of humanitarian assistance across Iraq. This goes to people most in need, including those in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). We are providing funding for a Joint Crisis Centre (JCC) within the Kurdistan Regional Government as part of this support. The JCC works closely with the UN, the Government of Iraq (GOI) and the international community to provide life-saving coordination. The UK also supports Iraqi-led stabilisation activities to enable the safe return of displaced people to their homes.

Ministry of Justice

*No heading*

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many acquitted defendants who had costs orders claimed their legal costs from central funds in (1) magistrates' courts, and (2) Crown Courts, in each of the last five years, and what was the cost of meeting such claims in each category of court.

Lord Faulks: This information is not recorded centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

*No heading*

Lord Steel of Aikwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to sign the prisoner exchange agreement with the government of Taiwan.

Lord Faulks: Negotiations between the UK and Taiwan Authorities on an arrangement to facilitate the transfer of prisoners between the respective jurisdictions are moving forward. Plans will be made for signature once the text has been agreed.

Ministry of Defence

*No heading*

The Lord Bishop of Worcester: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that military action by coalition forces in Iraq does not displace civilians.

Earl Howe: Defence's initial involvement last summer was to deliver immediate aid in support of humanitarian objectives. The Royal Air Force dropped nearly 100 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, the majority to the besieged Yazidi community on Mount Sinjar. Individual members of the Coalition retain responsibility for the actions of their own forces. All UK air strikes are conducted under UK rules of engagement, which have been agreed for this campaign in accordance with the law. Close observation, careful selection and approval of targets before a strike, and the use of precision weapons minimises collateral damage and the potential for civilian casualties. This is in stark contrast with ISIL's complete disregard for human life and for the consequences of their actions for civilians.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Council Housing: Immigrants

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated cost to local authorities of complying with their duty to support (1) failed asylum seekers and their children, and (2) evicted tenants deemed not to have the right to rent.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Home Office support any failed asylum cases involving children. Local authorities are only required to provide support to failed asylum seekers with children in rare circumstances, for example if a family member has an exceptional need. No estimate of the cost of such support has been made. Landlords taking new tenants are required to conduct a right to rent check and the Government proposes to provide landlords with new powers to evict illegal migrants in the forthcoming Immigration Bill.

Education Funding Agency: Birmingham

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the role of the Homes and Communities Agency in respect of Spitfire House in Castle Vale, Birmingham, following a change of ownership.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Homes and Communities Agency does not own or control Spitfire House and had no involvement in the decision of Birmingham Metropolitan College to sell the property to the Education Funding Agency. The Agency’s role is limited to determining whether a legal charge it holds over the building should be removed.

Allotments: Measurement

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to write to all local authorities and parish councils with guidance making clear that they are entitled to sell allotment space in imperial measurements, as well as metric.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government does not intend to issue any instructions or guidance to local authorities on this matter. Current guidance on the disposal of allotments can be found at - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/allotment-disposal-guidance-safeguards-and-alternatives. The provision and management of allotments, including their sale, is a matter for local authorities; it is a matter for them as to how they measure their allotments for sale.

Local Plans

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to streamline the local plans process; and when they expect to bring those proposals into operation.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Local Plans play a critical role in determining what development is appropriate and where, and it is therefore essential that plan-making is as simple, quick and accessible a process as possible. On 15 September, my hon. Friend, the Minister for Housing and Planning (Brandon Lewis), announced that we have brought together a panel of experts drawn from across the built-environment sector to help look at ways in which we could radically improve plan-making in practice (see attached). The group will consider all elements of plan-making from policy and procedural requirements of plans to how plan-making is practically undertaken. Their work will conclude in early 2016, after which I will set out to Parliament how we intend to proceed to reform plan-making.



Press Release - 15 September
(Word Document, 23.2 KB)

*No heading*

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of houses that were unoccupied in each of the regions in England in (1) 2000, (2) 2010, and (3) 2014.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The table below shows the number of long-term empty homes, i.e. those dwellings which have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for over six months, by region. Data for the year 2000 are not readily available and so we have provided the earliest available year, 2004. Region 2004 2010 2014East Midlands26,21926,42719,490East of England25,02025,59717,202London42,60034,42220,795North East21,59920,33716,052North West68,59466,41040,461South East35,45933,99823,956South West22,43424,22618,550West Midlands40,16730,39522,257Yorkshire and The Humber36,55038,18727,058England Total318,642299,999205,821

*No heading*

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to change the rules for public servants so that senior public officers who work during strikes do not get extra payments, as was the case with three senior officers of the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service during strikes in 2014–15.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Pay policy for members of staff is the responsibility of individual fire and rescue authorities. The Government is grateful to those members of staff who worked to ensure the safety of their communities during periods of strike action by members of the Fire Brigades Union.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

*No heading*

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 16 September (HL1984) which states that "decisions on plant closures are a commercial matter for individual plant owners", whose responsibility it is to ensure that the United Kingdom has enough energy supplies to meet expected needs.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Electricity Act (1989) and Gas Act (1986) place obligations on the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority to secure long-term viable supplies and to secure that all reasonable demands for electricity are met.

*No heading*

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Prime Minister on 11 September (HC9076), on what evidence they base the statement that "investment in shale could reach £33 billion and support 64,000 jobs in the oil, gas, construction, engineering and chemical sectors"; how many wells would be required to achieve such levels of investment and employment; and over what time period such levels would be achieved.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: EY’s 2014 report, ‘Getting Ready for UK Shale Gas: Supply chain and skills requirements and opportunities’ identifies that over the period of 2016–32 c.£33bn of spend could be required to bring up to 4,000 wells into production. At peak this equates to around £3.3bn of spend and some 64,500 jobs (6,100 of which are direct roles).The full report can be viewed at:http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Getting_ready_for_UK_shale_gas/$FILE/EY-Getting-ready-for-UK-shale-gas-April-2014.pdf

Cabinet Office

Refugees

Lord Eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have formulated guidelines for voluntary charitable organisations involved in the settlement of Syrian and other refugees in the United Kingdom; and if not, whether they plan to do so.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Government is seeking a solution to the crisis in Syria and contributing over £1billion of humanitarian aid. We are proposing that the UK resettles 20,000 Syrian refugees over the rest of this Parliament. The Home Office, local authorities and civil society partners are leading work on resettlement. The Minister for Syrian Refugees and the Minister for Civil Society recently hosted a roundtable discussion with leading charities to agree with our partners how best to harness the strong desire expressed by the public, and a range of organisations, to welcome Syrian refugees to the UK. This was part of the wider co-ordination and cross-government work that the Home Office is leading. There are currently no plans to formulate any formal guidelines for charities but we have provided further information via GOV.UK and charity websites on how members of the public and civil society organisations can contribute to helping Syrian refugees. We will continue to work with leading charities to support a coordinated effort.